Angela's Ashes Chapter 16

Frank delivers a condolence telegram to an Englishman named Mr. Harrington, who has lost his wife. Mr. Harrington, who has been drinking, insults the Irish and tries to force Frank to sit and mourn with him. He makes Frank drink sherry. When Mr. Harrington goes to get more alcohol, Frank is left with the corpse. He starts wondering if he can save her, a Protestant, from eternal damnation. He decides to baptize her with the sherry, and as he does this, Mr. Harrington comes back and finds him. Mr. Harrington stuffs a ham sandwich in Frank’s mouth, and Frank vomits out the window onto Mrs. Harrington’s rosebushes. Frank then escapes by jumping through the window into the rosebushes and vomit below. Mr. Harrington reports Frank and gets him fired, but the priest writes a letter to the post office, and Frank is rehired.

Frank delivers a telegram to an old woman creditor named Mrs. Brigid Finucane. Frank agrees to write bullying letters to her debtors in return for a few shillings. He uses difficult and obscure words in the letters, which intimidate the debtors into paying. Some of the recipients of the letters are Frank’s friends and neighbors, and Angela says that whoever is writing the letters should be boiled in oil, but Frank justifies his behavior to himself by thinking of how badly he wants to get to America.

Frank walks away from a post office exam and takes a job delivering newpapers for a man named Mr. McCaffry. When Frank's boss hears that he walked away from the post office exam he decides that Frank thinks he is too good for a post office job.

I am proud of Frank... It seems as though his heart is in the right place. I like the fact that he wants to help the soul of Mr. Harrington's wife. It is a shame that he gets punished for doing so... I feel as though bad things keep happening to Frank but because of the good which Frank does I feel as though he will be rewarded in the end!

Angela's Ashes Chapters 15

On his fourteenth birthday Frank goes to the post office to start his first day of work but learns that he does not start till the following Monday. People at the post office laugh at Frank's raggedy clothes so his aunt Aggie takes him shopping for new clothing.

A week later he starts his new job as a temporary worker but recieves less than everyone else because he is a "temporary worker". Frank recieves his first wages and takes Micheal to get fish and chips then to a movie where they get chocolate. Frank decides that instead of using his money he gets every week on food he would save up his money so that he could go to America by the time he is twenty.

Frank delivers messages to many people who are too old and sick to get out of bed. Trying to help them Frank gets their groceries and cashes their money orders even though it could jeopardize his job.

Angela begins frequently visiting Frank and then decides to move back with Frank at Ab Sheehan's house permanently. Along with Angela Frank's brother Malachy returns home from Dublin so the whole family is reuinited. Frank gives most of his paycheck to Angela and continues to enjoy work.

One day Frank met a girl, Theresa when delivering one of his telegrams. Because he fell off his bike she tends to his bloody cuts. This TLC ignites a spark between the two kids and they engage in sexual relations. Frank goes back and visits her frequently until one day he found out she was in the hospital and then eventually dies. Frank is worried that Theresa went to hell becaue they engaged in sexual relations before marriage, so he prays for Theresa's soul to be at peace.

The more the book progresses the more I begin to like Frank and the man he is becoming. He has deffinately strayed from his old ways. I adore the fact that he helps the elderly with their money orders and their groceries even though it may cost him his job! I mean sure, he did some bad stuff with a girl which i dont agree with but he has come a long way from where he was! I also find the fact that he gives most of his paycheck to Angela to be very sweet! :)

Anglea's Ashes Chapter 14

Angela sends Micheal off to Uncle Ab Sheehan's house with food for Frank. Micheal, wanting his brother to join him asks Frank to come with but Frank refuses. However, it breaks Frank's heart to see Micheal walk away with his ragged clothes and broken shoes. One day, Uncle Ab refuses to give Frank food and so Frank is forced to steal milk and bread from wealthier houses.

Frank spends his time in the library reading up on inapropriate topics and realizes that his father has lied to him about certain things. After returning home from the library and the park Frank notices Uncle Ab had hidden a loaf of bread in his pocket. Frank steals a slice with a glass of water to make him feel more full. Because his clothes are cold and wet from activites at the park he puts on his grandmothers wool dress and goes to bed.

It is sad to see all the bad influences in Frank's life... His father who is constantly drunk and just wreaking havoc in the McCourt household and now his Uncle Ab who seems to be just like Frank's father... It seems as though Frank's conscience is trying to turn him in the right direction but the fact that Frank sometimes has no food to eat he must do bad things in order to survive... Just thinking about the life which Frank has to live stresses me out!

Angela's Ashes Chapter 13

Frank desperately wants to go on a long cycling trip with his friend.. He borrows Laman's bike (Angela's cousin) in exchange for having to clean Laman's chamber pot everyday and running all of this errands. One day Frank is noticed by the Librarian at the library for his tremendous dedication to his studies... The librarian is so impressed that she writes Angela a letter about Frank's dedication. One of Frank's teachers also informs Angela of how intelligent Frank is and that he should continue school rather than become a messenger because otherwise Frank would be wasting his talents. In an effort to give Frank more schooling Angela takes Frank to the Christian Brothers but they slam the door in her face saying they have no room for FRank.. this infuriates Angela... understandably.

Frank, eager to finish his schooling, takes a job as a telegram messenger. His teacher, disgusted with the class system and how it forces smart boys to take jobs which undermine their intelligence, tells Frank that he should move to America.. Frank tries but his doctor tells him that he is to young to do so.

It is good to see that Frank is taking Mr. Hannan's advice and being dedicated with his schoolwork.. I feel as though Frank has really started to come around and change from the sinful boy whom he was earlier on in the book. The fact that he is so dedicated in his studies is comforting to hear... It seems as though he has direction in his life unlike his drunk father. I always felt that beneath all the bad exterior of Frank there was potential for a good smart boy.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 12

Frank's father Malachy Sr. returns home for Christmas promising that he has changed for the better... With him he brought home a half eaten box of chocolates. However, when the family tries to enjoy a sheeps head for Christmas dinner Malachy Sr. leaves immediately after dinner is finished.

Frank tries avoiding "respectable boys" whom he knows will get good jobs and succeed in life. Frank is convinced that he will spend the rest of his life in a job which caters to the upper class. Angela falls sick and is forced to spend most of her time at home... Chapter twelve details that every time Angela is asked for a donation of money she always takes the beggar home and feeds and clothes them herself.

The McCourts are in a lot of trouble with four weeks rent due and they have no money to pay it.. Also they have had to resort to tearing out one of their walls and burning it for warmth.. Angela warns the family to not touch the beam on the ceiling however, the family gets cold one day and cuts part of it down to burn. In doing this the roof collapses and once the landlord finds out he evicts the McCourt family. The McCourts then move in with Angela's cousin who doesnt treat her very well.

Frank announces that grandma has died from pnemonia and Frank's brother Malachy decides to join the Army School of Music in Dublin.

I am really starting to get frustrated with Frank's father Malachy... I understand he is gone trying to earn money for his family but it almost seems as though he has just abandoned his family because his being gone does not benefit the McCourt family in any way because the money which Malachy does earn he spends on alcohol for himself.... This puts Angela especially in a tough position with not being able to pay rent and having to tear a wall out of their house in order to stay warm...If anything Malachy seems to be a detriment to the McCourt family... It also is really good to see that Angela who has almost nothing is giving to those in need... It seems as though she must have a giant heart!

Angela's Ashes Chapter 11

Frank starts a soccer team with Malachy and his friend Billy Campbell. After finding his mom's treasured red dress in a trunk he is inspired to name his team "The Red Hearts of Limerik"... He decides to cut up the red dress and use it as part of the team's uniform... while going through the trunk Frank finds papers on his parents marriage.

Frank goes out with his friend Mike and Mike's dad for Mikes sixteenth birthday. They go to a pub.. while there Mike begins to explain to Frank how children are concieved. Also the barman says something which moves Mike's dad to stop drinking entirely and stop driving his wife mad with all his drinking.

Frank's soccer team beats a team full of rich kids with Frank scoring the winning goal.... Frank begins working with a nice man named Mr. Hannon doing a coal mining job.. Mr. Hannon urges Frank to go to school and read books and do all the right things.. A lot of Frank's friends are jealous of Frank's manly job of handling coal. However, after being around coal dust so often Frank's eyes get irriatated by the coal dust and Angela won't let Frank go to work.. even though Mr. Hannon's condition is getting worse. The day Frank wasnt able to go to work Mr. Hannon gets hospitalized and Frank goes to see him and they have an emotional meeting.

I feel as though Mr. Hannon could be a very good influence on Frank... Obviously Frank seems to really respect Mr. Hannon and wants nothing more than to please him and help him out... It seems as though Mr. Hannon is more of an appropriate father figure to Frank than his own father is... Hopefully, Frank's time with Mr. Hannon can help turn Frank's bad behavior around.. It was interesting not hearing much of anything about either Angela or Malachy Sr.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 10

The McCourt family has to move upstairs to get away from the cold and wet apartment they were living in... Frank steals lemonade from outside of a pub and exaggerates and decorates the story to his brothers to make himself sound cool. He proceeds to steal more food and drink from the wealthier families of the town which feeds him and his brothers. Having no fire fank tries going door to door and begging for coal but after recieving no help he just steals gasoline from his wealthier neighbors.

Angela comes down with an illness and becomes feverish. Grandma ends up calling the doctor (after guards come to their door asking why the boys havent been at school) and the doctor diagnoses Angela with pnemonia and she is rushed to the hospital. While Angela is at the hospital she sends the boys with their aunt aggie. While their uncle is nice to the boys Aggie beats and yells at the boys constantly. Fed up with this Frank sends a letter to Malachy in England telling him that Angela is in the hospital. After hearing this news Malachy returns home and the boys stay with him until Angela returns home from the hospital. Malachy then returns to England and a refusal to send his paychecks forces Angela to beg outside of churches for money and food which really upsets Frank.

It is heartbreaking to have a final image of Angela begging in front of a church for food for her family. Angela who has struggled so much to keep her family alive and fed. It is obvious how deeply she cares for her children.. It is amazing to me that she can continue to put up with Malachy's selfish ways. It is almost like he is just a nusence anymore... He is no help to the family.. rather a detriment and Angela never sees him anymore now that he is in England.. I will give Malachy credit though for coming home to take care of the boys while his mother was in the hospital but it is the least he can do.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 9

Because of the multiple deaths in her family and the struggle she has with supporting the children in her family, Angela descides to stop having children which annoys Malachy because during that time birth control was not comonly used.. The families on the street which Angela lives keep getting richer because their husbands are going off to England to find work. After Angela, herself, threatens to go to England to find work Malachy goes to England and promises to send home the money he earns.. However, Angela sees all of the families on her street recieving money and she has yet to recieve any from Malachy.

Desperate for money one of Angela's friends sujects that she goes to the dispensary to recieve aid but Angela does not like the idea because she feels it is one step above giving up her children to an orphanage and begging on the streets.

Frank gets a really bad eye infection and Angela takes him to the doctor and Frank is diagnosed with a really bad case of conjunctivitis and is sent to the hospital. After returning home from the hospital Frank comes to the realization that his father has become an uncontrollable drunk and spends all the money he makes in bars. Stressed with financial problems and recieving no help from Malachy, Angela resorts to the Dispensary for help.

It is heartbreaking to see a man's son come to the realization of how screwed up his father is... I feel so badly for Frank and the rest of his family because it seems as though they keep putting their trust and dependance on Malachy but Malachy never provides for them. It seems as though Angela should just take the initiative herself and provide for her family because it is the only way she can know for sure that her family will be provided for outside of recieving dole or aid from the dispensary.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 8

The time now comes for Frank's confirmation into the Catholic Church. Directly following his confirmation service Frank gets sick and gets a very bad nosebleed. It was this nosebleed which prevented him from getting his collection which the kids recieve after being confirmed. A few days after his nosebleed incident the doctor visits Frank at home and diagnoses him with typhoid fever. Because of the seriousness of his condition Frank has to stay in the hospital. While in the hospital Frank drifts in and out of conciousness and is near death. During his time in the hospital Frank meets a girl named Patricia. They become friends and she introduces Shakespeare to Frank. Just as he begins reading it Frank falls in love with the melodious writing of Shakespeare. Two days later, a janitor in the hospital informs Frank that Patricia has died.

After Frank somewhat returns to health and comes home he is disappointed to hear that because he missed so much of the fifth grade he will have to retake it instead of moving onto sixth grade. Frank struggles at school because he has a hard time getting around due to his limited ability to walk.

Later in the chapter seems to be descriptions. First the descriptions are of Frank's feelings about his dad. He dislikes it when Malachy drinks his dole money, but he loves his mornings alone with his father, when they read the paper and talk; he loves the stories his father tells. The rest of the chapter talks about the horrid living conditions in which the McCourt family lives.

The last part of this chapter leaves a lasting impression in my head and both answers some lingering questions in my mind and also disturbs me at the same time.. It is now understandable all these sicknesses that occur in the McCourt family because of the unhealthy living conditions. However, it disturbs me that Angela, whom I have had great respect for, would let her house become so filthy and disgusting. On a more positive note, this typhoid fever seems to have maybe brought out the nicer sweeter side of Frank. :)

Angela's Ashes Chapter 7

Because Malachy Sr. continues to drink away the dole money which the family recieves his sons including Micheal refuse to talk to him on the weekends because he is always drunk.

Frank has a friend Mickey who's siblings die frequently due to consumption. Mickey asks Frank and Billy Campbell to pray that Mickey’s sick sister will not die until September, so that Mickey can get a week off from school. Mickey promises them that if they pray for his sister he will invite both Frank and Billy to the funeral where there will be lots of food. Mickey's wish comes true and his sister dies in September however he doesnt invite Frank or Billy to the funeral. Angered by this Frank is pleases to find out that Mickey soon after dies because of consumption as well.

Frank's grandma convinces Frank to help Unlce Pat with delivering newspapers. However, Uncle Pat mistreats him by making him run about in the rain and paying him poorly. The fact that Frank has gotten a job greatly pleases Angela.

Angela has a baby and names it Alphonsus which is not a name that Frank likes. The baby almost dies by choking on a dry piece of milk however, Angela's neighboor friend Bridey saves the baby. Frank's grandpa sends money for the new baby. Angela sends Malachy Sr. to cash the check but tells Frank and Malachy Jr. to be sure Malachy Sr. actually cashes the check instead of spending it at the pub. Despite their tagging along, Malachy Sr. still ends up spending his money at the pub. Because of this Frank is forced to steal fish and chips for dinner.

Malachy's continued drinking problem has imposed many uneeded obstacles for the McCourt family. To think that if he hadnt spent all that money on drinking and getting drunk then the family would have much more money to spend on food and shoes and clothing. The fact that Frank is pleased when his friend Mickey dies is very disturbing... This does not seem to be the sweet boy earlier in the book... I hope this mean mailicious surface wears off and his real self begins to show later in the book.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 6

Frank moves up a grade and is now in fourth grade which is taught by Mr. O'Neill. One of the kids in Frank's class who seems to be a teachers pet is Fitan. Frank describes Fitan as a dandified do-gooder. Fitan is said to go to church every day with his mother. Frank and Paddy (a classmate of Franks) do not want to be associtated with this "feminine" man however Fitan invites the two over to his house and uses food as incentive. When Paddy and Frank go to Fitan's house they are supplied with sandwiches and other treats however, Paddy and Frank become worried when Fitan goes with them to the bathroom and says he enjoys looking at them.

Fitan invites the two over again for lunch but this time when they come over Fitan just sits and eats a sandwich angrily in front of them. Because they are hungry Paddy and Frank skip class to go steal apples and milk from a nearby farm. Because they are gone for so long, the next time Frank saw Angela she was with a guard and had said she had been worried sick about him.

The whole situation with Fitan seems to be very odd and random... However it does do some character developing for Frank and Paddy.. It seems as though Frank is more concerned about status rather than being nice to everyone including the weird kid. Frank's decisions continue to disappoint me and I feel terribly for Frank's mother because she is so naiive to his poor decision making.. It is upsetting.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 5

McCourt takes note of his families lack of communitcation because his grandmother doesn’t speak to his mother, his mother doesn’t talk to her siblings, his father doesn’t talk to Angela’s family, and no one talks to his uncle’s wife. However, Angela seems to have intimate and frequent talks with her neighbor Bridey Hannon.

Angela and Malachy end up having to get false teeth due to their excessive smoking. Malachy Jr. puts the fake teeth in his mouth and ends up getting sent to the hospital. While the family is in the hospital the doctor notes Frank's breathing with his mouth open and the doctor insists that Frank get his tonsils removed.

Angela tells Frank that he should take Irish dance lessons. Frank attends his first class and feels stupid for even trying. Because of this he continues to skip his dance classes and spend the money on sweets or goes to the movie instead. Whenever he returns home he just makes up a dance and performs it to his family. However, Malachy finally confronts him when the dance teacher sends Malachy a letter asking where his sone has been.

The disfunctions and misfortunes of the family continue to heap into a large pile. The lack of communication in the family disturbs me because I can't imagine going a day without talking to a certain person in my family let a lone hardly ever speaking to them. Another misfortune plaques the McCourt family which is somewhat a humerous one... Who would have thought of all things that Malachy Jr. would have to be rushed to the hospital for getting dentures stuck in his mouth... Something disappointing to me is the fact that Frank is continuing to make bad decisions... It seems as though there is a good boy deep down inside of him.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 4

A new character is introduced as a neighbor of Frank's, his name is Mickey Malloy. He is said to be educated on dirty things and his mother goes to insane asylums because her husband spends all of the families money on drikning at the pub. Mickey's mother is constantly worried about wether or not her kids will have food. Frank has his first communion and Mickey tells him that the only good thing about first communion is the money you recieve. However, Frank seems to appreciate the meaning of communion more than just recieving money. As Frank and Mickey become closer friends he finds himself listening to many of Mickey's stories. Many of them are vulgar and Frank feels as though he has sinned because he listens to them. This thought of sin weighs on Frank so heavily that he asks multiple people, including his father, wether or not he should go to confession. Frank decides to go to confession and feels better about it.

One day after his first communion after returning home, Frank regurgitated his communion wafer in his Grandma's backyard. His Grandma insists that Frank go to confession to see what he needs to do to repent for this "sin". The priest tells Frank to just wash it away with water. Because he had to attend confession, Frank missed his collection of money for his first communion. This upsets Frank because he was looking forward to going and spending the money on movies... Instead Frank sneaks into a movie.

The reference to Nora, Mickey's mother, in the first chapter seems to be a little coincidental... maybe even implying some foreshadowing to what will happen to Angela because the two seem so familiar. I like Frank's intentions and the fact that communion has a deeper meaning to him other than just recieving money however it worries me that mickey may have a negative influence on hime which seems to be appearing at the end of the chapter.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 3

Angela and her family move into a different house because their current house reminded them too much of Eugene. Angela becomes stressed about the reduced family income she recieves from public assistance because of the deaths of both Oliver and Eugene. Malachy Sr. finds himself a job, however, this proves to be no financial help because all of his earnings which he recieves he spends on alcohol.

One day upon returning home Frank and Malachy Jr. finds the house flooded forcing the McCourt family to move upstairs which they name "Italy" because it is in much better condition than their old flodded apartment. Angela purchases a pig head for Christmas and Frank is embarassed carrying it home because his classmates then see the poverty of his family.

Angela gives birth to a baby and names it Micheal. Malachy Sr. believes the baby was left behind by an angel and calls the baby "Angel on the Seventh step". Malachy Sr. develops a special fondness for this baby. When the baby stops breathing because it is sick with a cold Malachy Sr. saves the baby by sucking the mucus out of his nose.

Malachy repairs his sons boots using old tire because they he is to proud to ask the welfare men for new boots. At school, Frank and Malacy Jr. are mocked because of how poor they live. Frank describes the neighborhood in which he lives. He describes the unemployed men just sitting around smoking cigarettes and collecting "dole" while their wives are at home cleaining and tending to the children.

Malachy Sr. gets a job at the cement factory which excites the whole family. Frank and Malachy Jr. are excited about maybe being able to go to the movies, Angela gets so excited that she gets up early to clean and sing. However disappointment shocks them all when he doesnt return home from work on friday with his wages. Angela soon learns that Malachy Sr. went to the pub and ends up crying herself to sleep because of this. When Malachy Sr. returns home drunk he offers Frank and Malachy Jr. a "Friday Penny" which they both refuse and Angela makes him sleep downstairs.

It seems as though Malachy Sr. causes a lot of distress and disappointment to the McCourt family. He seems to be self-centered and only thinks of himself financially. The fact that he feels as though he can spend the money he makes at the pub and just use the "dole" to support the family is a prime example of this. It almost seems as though the only member of the Mccourt family which Malachy Sr. cares for is the newborn Micheal. The part about him sucking the babies mucus was sweet but also disgusting i must say. This book continues to disturb me because I can't even imagine the amount of stress and pressure Angela must be feeling while trying to continue to support her family. It is a very sad book because it continues to document the tragic obstacles which the Mccourt family is constantly faced with.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 2

The McCourt family arrives in Ireland and recieves a cold welcoming from Frank's grandparents. Malachy's hope for finding employment are crushed when grandma tells him that there is no work in Ireland but to go to the IRA and ask for money because of his previous services to the company. In an attempt to get money from the IRA Malachy and Frank go to Dublin and into the office of a man in charge of the IRA pension claims. After a pleading from Malachy he recieves no money as pension, in fact, he does not even recieve enough money for their train ride back home. Having no means of getting home the McCourts stay in police barracks over night until they recieve money for a train ticket to Limerick, where Angela's parents live. After arriving in Limerick they again receive a cold welcom from Angela's parents. However, Angela's mom does help them find a furnished room to stay in with one matress for them to share.

A few days later Angela has a miscarriage and is rushed to the hospital. After having been in the hospital Angela is forced to go to St. Vincent de Paul society for charity adn receives groceries and befriends a funny woman named Nora.

Frank's brother Oliver becomes ill and after being rushed to the hospital ends up dieing . 6 months after Oliver's death Eugene dies of pnemonia. After the deaths of both of hi twin brothers, Frank's father takes up drinking again and his mother has to start taking pills.

This chapter disturbs me so much! I feel so horrible for Frank who has to live in that type of environment. For me it would be hard to find any sort of happiness from the life he lives. It seems as though he is always losing siblings and can never really establish a real relationship with his parents. Not only his parents but also his grandparents are cold to him.... To me it seems as though this family isnt connected but rather they are a bunch of roomates who dont seem to function in an efficient manner... The life this family lives greatly distrubs me.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 1

The book begins with Frank describing to the readers his childhood and how his parents met and got married in New York. He describes his childhood as miserable because he had a drunken father and a strict demanding mother. After giving a background of his childhood Frank then tells the stories of his mother and father's lives before having kids. Malachy McCourt, Frank's father, grew up in Ireland and fought for the IRA. In his work with the IRA he committed a crime and fled to America to escape death. Angela Sheehan, Frank's mother, grew up in a Limerick slum then later emigrated to America where she met Malachy. Soon after meeting him Angela becomes pregnant with Malachy's son and the two plan to get married... Despite their plans of marriage Malachy tried to escape the marriage by fleeing to California but he spent the money for his train ticket on alcohol instead. Frank was the first born and baptized then following him was his brother, Malachy. Soon after Malachy came twin boys named Eugene and Oliver. Angela also later had a daughter named Margaret whom Frank's mother adored but Margeret ended up dieing. Margaret's death sent Angela into a deep state of depression causing her to neglect her children.

This book paints a disturbing picture in my mind. I can almost feel what Frank is going through and I cannot even begin to fathom the stress and hurt Frank must undergo on a daily basis. Having to lose a sister as well as have your mother neglect you for it is a disturbing thought for me. Also having to grow up with a drunken father and a strict demanding mother does not seem to be the ideal childhood for me. After reading this first chapter I cannot help but have pity for Frank and the hard times he must be going through.

Lolita pages 282-309 (The End!!)

After talking to a priest and coming to terms with his sins which he committed with Lolita, Humbert realizes that because he was so consumed with his desires for Lolita, he never took the time to actually get to know the real person she was. After doing a lot of thinking he revisits the house in which he met Lolita and notes that there is another family with a nymphet daughter currently living there. During his visit to Ramsdale he also goes to the dentist and learns of Clare Quilty's whereabouts. Humbert immediately leaves the dentist office to go find Quilty.

Humbert arrives at Quilty's house with a loaded gun. Humbert enters his house and sees Quilty emerge fromt the bathroom. Immediately after seeing him Humbert asks Quilty of Lolita and explains to him why he must die. During this time Quilty slyly makes a move for Humbert's gun and the two wrestle for it. Humbert finally breaks free with the gun and Quilty begs for his life and even offers Humbert bribes of things including vulgar pictures. Humbert shoots Quilty but he still tries to escape. Humbert shoots Quilty a number of times again and he still has not yet died. Finally Quilty pleads for his life but Humbert shows no mercy and shoots him dead.

After an exiting series of events Humbert speeds off down the road on the wrong side. He finally gets pulled over and arrested for running a red light. During his time in jail Humbert realizes that what is truely sad is not that Humbert and Lolita cant be together, rather that he robbed Lolita of her childhood. While in jail Humbert keeps a journal and he dedicates the last half solely to Lolita. He tells her to stay faithful and honest to her husband and to forget about Quilty because he was not a good person. He also advises her to not talk to strangers.

I felt as though this was a very good ending to the book. Although I am not in favor of Humbert killing Quilty, the person Humbert becomes at the end of the book pleases me. After stepping back and actually looking at his relationship with Lolita it is good to know that he recognizes how inappropriate his strong desires and obsessions were. It is very good that he recognizes and is ashamed that he robbed her of her childhood as well. When looking at the person Humbert was at the beginning of the book he was a vulgar man who seemed to want nothing more in life other than sex and Lolita. It seems as though he had no respect for women at the beginning but now it seems as though he has acquired respect for them because he continues to stay in touch with Rita and deeply regrets having such a negative effect on Lolita's life. Despite the creepiness of the book in the beginning it proved to be a very interesting and entertaining book which left me with a smile on my face because of the good man Humbert became.

Lolita pages 252-282

After having been away from Lolita for an expanded period of time, Humbert feels as though he sees her everywhere and even fills out a missing persons ad. In his great loneliness he begins a relationship with a woman named Rita. In the progression of his relationship with Rita he returns to many of the places and hotels which he visited with Lolita. He does this in an attempt to releive the memories of Lolita but he feels as though he is going to love her forever. However, eventually Rita and Humbert's relationship begins to dwindle and they grow apart but still remain friends as Humbert visits her frequently.

During a visit with Rita, Humbert recieves two letters-- one being from Lolita addressed as Dad. The letter informed Humbert that Lolita had been married and was expecting a child. However, the purpose of the letter was to ask Humbert for money. Humbert is furious and sets out to kill Lolita's new husband. With little help from the letter Humbert finally finds Lolita's house. Humbert describes it as a humble house right off of Hunter Road. Immediately after seeing Lolita Humbert recognizes two things. The first thing being that she is pregnant... very pregnant. The second thing being that she has grown out of her nymphet stage. He also comes to the realization that despite her no longer being a nymphet, Humbert will love her until the day he dies.

After seeing Lolita's husband he realizes that he is not the man who abducted her from the hospital and realizes that he has no real reason to be mad at him. Lolita tells Humbert that the man who abducted her was the playwright of the play she planned to be in earlier... his name is Clare Quilty. She confesses that he is her true love but after her refusal to participate in unusual sexual activities he kicked her out. After this she became a waitress and later found her current husband.

Towards the end of this section Humbert seems to be maturing and coming to terms with his distance from Lolita. It seems as though maybe his relationship with Rita has brought about a change in him. At the beginning of the book his main concern was nymphets, and now they dont seem to phase him. Although he confesses his undying love for Lolita, it seems as though he has come to terms with the fact that they cant be together. I am not as frustrated with Humbert's character anymore, but rather more content with the man he is finally becoming.

Lolita pages 200-252

Lolita decides to be in the school play and begins rehearsing for it. Although at first Humbert is confident that the play is nothing more than a play for schoolchildren, he is appaled by the play's romanticism and fantasy. One day Humbert recieves a notice that Lolita has been missing her piano lessens. After confronting Lolita about it she claims that she had been sneaking off and rehearsing for the play. Not believing Lolita's story, Humbert starts a heated argument with Lolita. It is through this argument that he realizes that Lolita has changed and no longer posseses some of the nymphet qualities he loved. After a moments distraction Lolita escapes the house and when Humbert finds her in a telephone booth, she confesses that she hates Beardsly and her school and wants to move.

After beginning their travels, Humbert and Lolita stay in a succession of hotels just as they had done before. Humbert continues to keep a close eye on her and keeps her from talking to anyone she may not know. Humbert feels that for adequate protection he must keep a gun on him at all times and stand guard during the night. To no suprise as Humbert continues to spend his time obsessing over Lolita he continues to become increasingly paranoid. He often questions things such as Lolita talking to strange men, or also a red car which had seemed to have been following the two of them during their travels.

Humbert stumbled across a letter to Lolita and began reading it at the post office one day. After finishing the letter he looks up and Lolita is no where to be found. Humbert looks and chases after her and after finally finding her Lolita said that she saw a friend from Beardsly. After becoming increasingly paranoid about the man following Lolita and Humbert, Humbert decides to write down the license plate. Soon after notifying Lolita, he realizes that she had erased the license plate number. After paying close attention Trapp (the name Humbert gave to the man following Lolita and him) had merely been switching cars and after getting a flat tire Humbert had planned to confront him but Trapp had quickly driven off before Humbert had a chance to do so. During Humbert's failed confrontation, Humbert's car (with Lolita being at the wheel) starts moving away. Lolita said that she had been trying to keep the car from rolling away.

Humbert takes Lolita to the pool one day and notices a man watching Lolita, and Lolita watching him as well. After close observation Humbert realizes that the man watching Lolita is Trapp. Humbert gets up and again plans to confront him but Trapp takes off too quickly for Humbert to do anything. Later that night, Lolita claims to feel sick. After taking her temperature and realizing that she has a high fever, Humbert takes her to the hospital where he spends his first couple nights away from her in two years. When Humbert returns to the hospital to pick up Lolita the nurse told him that her uncle has already picked her up.

In an attempt to find any clues of Lolita's whereabouts, Humbert retraces every place that him and Lolita had ever been or stayed at. Humbert even hires a detective but the detective proves to be usesless.

It seems as though Humbert's obsession with Lolita is making his life ten times more complicated and depressing than what it needs to be! Humbert constantly lives with anxiety and paranoia that someone will steal Lolita away from him. His paranoia of other men is keeping him from seeing the many attempts Lolita makes to get away from him. There are numerous accounts in which she clearly tries escape his control but once he finds her she will jsut make up an excuse and he believes it! It baffles me how blind he is to her lies, and yet he is still so paranoid about everything else around him!

Lolita pages 176-200

Humbert moves into a smaller, not so nice house somewhere else in the town of Beardsly. Humbert goes into detail about the new neighboorhood they live in and the neighbors they live next to. Humbert remains distant with his neighbors because he fears they may spy on him. Humbert is also afraid of a blosoming relationship between Lolita and the cook, and he continues to make sure he can do anything to keep the relationship from getting any more serious. The school which he sent Lolita has done nothing but anger him with their teachings. Humbert would rather the school focus on teaching writing and arithmatec but rather they have been teaching Lolita social skills. Specifically the school has taught Lolita the four D's: Dramatics, Dance, Debate, and Dating. Its not suprising to think that the fourth and final D upsets Humbert more than the others.

Sadly for Humbert his relationship with Lolita is becoming more strained. She constantly demands for more money and gifts from him, and demands it before any sexual favors. Humbert fears that by him giving Lolita extra money it may give her a chance to run away, so he breaks into her room and steals the money he gives her to make sure she can never leave him. Amidst, his paranoia of Lolita leaving him, Humbert also suffers from fear of Lolita attracting or hanging out with other boys alone. Humbert continues to restrict Lolita's interaction with boys and limits it to interaction with boys in large groups only. In an attempt to ease his anxiety Humbert asks one of Lolita's friends if Lolita has any boyfriends but instead of getting an answer he recieves unwanted affection from Lolita's disappointing friend.

One day, someone informs Humbert that Lolita is not maturing sexually and has a hard time dealing with authority and exhibits many disciplinary problems. The informant tells Humbert that Lolita has an unending vocabulary of cuss words. He provides Humbert with the advice that Lolita should start dating or maybe even take part in the school's play. In an attempt to help Lolita mature properly Humbert throws Lolita a birthday party and invites a number of boys, none of which seem to impress Lolita. Despite the lack of dating to help her mature, Humbert is happy with her distaste of the boys whom he invited to the party.

Humbert is becoming obsessively dependent upon Lolita. It seems as though if she were taken out of his life, he would have no life. I feel sorry for Lolita because she has no real way out because Humbert keeps manipulating her so that she has to be with him for what seems the rest of her life even though she is unhappy. Humbert has deprived Lolita from any sort of parenting, which is what she needs right now instead of an older man who wants nothing but sexual favors from her. Lolita seems as though she has no idea how to develop socially other than the teaching she has receieved from her school. What Humbert is doing to Lolita is almost frustrating in a way but the book continues to be interesting!